Coca boba or coca de llanda

The coca boba may be one of those recipes that have been there in my life since day one. My mother used to make it (and still makes it) every now and then as if it were nothing, with no preamble or planning whatsoever — that's how simple she is; now even my father gives it a go! — and it would equally fix a breakfast, an afternoon snack, or cheer us up with a small glass of warm milk before going to bed.

I'm not saying it just for the sake of it, the coca boba, as its name already suggests, couldn't be easier to make; we only need to combine a handful of basic ingredients commonly found in every pantry (sugar, eggs, flour, oil and little else), pour the mixture into a pan and bake for about half an hour. And that's how we end up with a cake for anyone who likes it, with no great pretensions, but with a well-sprung, tender and fragrant crumb. Not a bad plan, right?

This coca boba — also known as coca de llanda (coca de lata), coca mal feta (poorly made coca), coca de mida (measured coca), coca María or secret coca, depending on the area — is a traditional recipe, typical of the Valencian Community and certainly very popular in Alicante, my homeland. As is usually the case, every household gives it its own personal touch (from astronomical ingredient proportions to ancestral ways of flavoring it and other family “secrets” tied to a thousand stories) and there are many debates sparked by these variations, each defending what, in their view, is the perfect recipe. Don't be fooled; all versions are good and everyone makes it their own according to their personal taste and preferences.

The name coca de llanda (as it is generally known in Valencia) comes from the fact that it is very common to use an oven tray or aluminum sheet to make it. However, on this occasion I reached for my Laura Ashley porcelain tray, with which I am deeply in love. And although dimensions do matter, it is not essential to stick rigidly to the mold rules in this case; it's about avoiding complications. So, the one I leave you here today is the coca boba recipe as we usually make it at home, very basic (we're big on classics), perfect for anyone to give it their own twist (if they feel like it).

Laura Ashley porcelain oven tray, Laura Ashley kitchen towel and Laura Ashley porcelain plate

Ingredients (for 8-10 people)

All ingredients should be at room temperature, unless otherwise specified

• 200 g white sugar
• 3 eggs (L)
• 125 ml mild olive oil
• 125 ml milk (whole or semi-skimmed)
• 1 teaspoon mild honey (optional)
• 250 g all-purpose wheat flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder (type Royal)*
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Sugar and cinnamon, for sprinkling

Method

1. Preheat the oven (conventional, no fan) to 180ºC with top and bottom heat and place the oven rack in the central position.
2. Grease the inside of a rectangular tray of about 32 x 22.5 cm and about 6 cm high suitable for the oven with non-stick baking spray or line it with parchment paper, like the Laura Ashley porcelain tray I used for this recipe. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, place the flour, baking powder, lemon zest and salt and whisk with a whisk until everything is well combined. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of our electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl separately), beat the eggs with the sugar at medium-high speed for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture whitens, becomes fluffy and visibly increases in volume.
5. Next, lower the speed and, without stopping beating, add the olive oil gradually in a thin stream until incorporated.
6. Then add the milk and the honey (if using), also gradually and at low speed, and mix until everything is completely combined.
7. Now fold in the dry ingredients we had set aside (step 3) in two additions, mixing gently only until no traces of flour remain. Although I usually use the KitchenAid for the first steps (where more vigorous movements are normally required for longer times), I particularly like to do this step by hand with a silicone spatula, as this ensures I don't overmix and my cake stays light and airy.
8. Pour the mixture into the pan and sprinkle a little sugar and a little cinnamon over the entire surface.
9. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the top has taken on a nice golden color and when pierced with a skewer in the center, it comes out dry and clean of crumbs.
10. Allow to cool completely on a rack before serving.

This is one of those recipes that's even better the next day than freshly made; the flavors settle and the texture firms up a bit more. It keeps super tender for about 3-4 days, always well covered and at room temperature.

Laura Ashley porcelain oven tray and Laura Ashley apron

Notes

• *For this recipe it is also very common to use gasificante (also called gaseosillas or refrescos) instead of baking powder. Gasificante is nothing more than another type of chemical leavening presented separately in paired sachets: in one sachet — the white one — you'll find the acidulant (usually tartaric acid, malic acid or citric acid) and in the other — the colored one — the sodium bicarbonate. When adding it to cake mixes, you simply add the contents of both sachets in the amount and at the time the recipe indicates. Some prefer them to baking powder because, in addition to providing moistness and volume, they contain fewer additives (beware, some contain sweeteners!). These gasificantes, as their name suggests, are also used to prepare carbonated beverages (soda, soft drinks, etc.) at home. If you want to try and compare, for this coca boba you should use, instead of the indicated baking powder, 2 double sachets (that is, 2 white and 2 colored).
• Because it's so forgiving, the coca boba accepts a wide variety of personal touches. You can replace part of the flour (¼ of the total, for example) with ground almonds, swap the milk for yogurt or even orange juice, and/or add walnuts, raisins, apple, chocolate chips…
• The honey, in this very small amount, won't add noticeable flavor, but it will help keep the crumb of our coca boba tender for longer. But if you're not a fan, omit it without problem.

I hope that if you haven't tried it until now, you'll do so soon; you'll see how easy it is to make and, above all, to enjoy!